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墨書 Inktalez
Although everyone had gathered in the kitchen, not a single person offered to help Li Li with the preparations. Instead, a group of people surrounded him, watching as he demonstrated various cooking processes.
It wasn't that they didn't want to help; according to Chef Li Li, with their skills, they shouldn't even think about working on his dishes. It was a joke to him.
Chen Rui, who prided himself on being able to cook decent home-style meals and having good knife skills, initially expressed strong opposition. However, under the indifference of the others and the superior skills of Li Li, he could only self-deprecate lightly, saying, "At my level, even assisting him would be a stretch."
Of course, it wasn't just about watching; as the saying goes, listening to a wise person speak is worth more than years of study. Li Li meticulously shared the methods and key points for preparing these 'home-style dishes' with everyone else. Just this alone could easily surpass many top chefs in culinary schools across the country.
However, no one seemed to appreciate his efforts...
Aside from Li Li, the others had little interest in Chinese cooking. The only reason they supported him was to wait for the feast that would come from his hands.
Indeed, it was a feast. Although Li Li insisted it was 'home-style cooking,' Chen Rui couldn't see anything 'homey' about it. Take the flaming beef dish before them; it was far from ordinary. He meticulously sautéed it with salt and then flambéed it with high-proof liquor before placing it in a tin foil box filled with the cooked beef. Just the extravagant presentation alone disqualified it from being considered home-style cooking.
The busy hour quickly passed by. Watching Chef Li Li cook led Chen Rui to summarize three points: First, a high-level chef may not be the best in any specific area but possesses outstanding overall abilities; it seemed there was nothing in Chinese cooking that Li Li didn't understand. Second, when cooking, flavor accounts for thirty percent while presentation accounts for seventy percent; appearance is key. Third, when seasoning, one should spare no effort; various food additives are used to achieve good flavor and color.
According to Li Li: No large restaurant or hotel can guarantee that all their dishes are completely free of food additives because if that were true, they simply wouldn't taste good or be able to operate on such a large scale.
Strictly speaking, food additives include acidity regulators, anti-caking agents, anti-foaming agents, antioxidants, bleaching agents, leavening agents, colorings, color protectants, enzyme preparations, flavor enhancers, nutritional fortifiers, preservatives, sweeteners, thickeners, and spices.
To put it simply, several basic seasonings essential for everyday cooking—salt, soy sauce (light and dark), cooking wine, chili peppers—fall under the definition of food additives. So there's really nothing to fear if viewed with an open mind.
"Don't worry," Li Li said with a knowing smile as he saw through Chen Rui's concerns. "As long as it's something you can buy in stores now, it's safe to use. Just control the amount and there won't be any issues."
Thinking about it that way made sense; if someone of his stature wasn't worried about it, why should he be?
Chen Rui replied candidly, "I see on the news all the time about how these additives can kill people or cause problems; it's given me some psychological trauma."
"This kind of situation usually arises from using too much of an ingredient. There's nothing you can do if something goes wrong due to excess; even drinking too much water can lead to water intoxication. But can you really not drink? It's just like that."
After being teased by Li Li, Chen Rui naturally stopped caring about the cooking process and joined the others in merrily heading toward the dining hall with their feast.
After indulging in a hearty meal, everyone dispersed, likely enjoying some free time. Even though they had a good relationship, who wouldn't want a little time to themselves?
Chen Rui initially planned to return to his room to rest, but his hand, tucked in his pocket, was suddenly grasped by a delicate hand. Chen Rui sighed, knowing without a doubt who it was.
Li Xue noticed Chen Rui looking at her and laughed, "What are you staring at?"
"You look good," Chen Rui replied with a mischievous smile. Since he had promised her brother to maintain their relationship, it was only fitting to say such things that couples would say.
"Of course," Li Xue smiled as she linked her arm through Chen Rui's and wrapped her other hand around her long hair, pulling him toward the hotel exit.
As they watched the sun begin to dip below the horizon, Chen Rui asked with a wry smile, "Aren't you going to say goodbye to your brother?"
"Do I look like a high school student?" Li Xue suddenly blurted out with a seemingly random comment, her gentle smile radiating pure innocence—she truly resembled a high school girl.
"Yeah."
"That's good. But please don't actually think of me as a high school student," Li Xue said with a laugh as she sprinted ahead. After running a few dozen meters, she stopped, turned around, and made a silly face at Chen Rui while shouting, "Hurry up, you fool! If we can't watch the sunset on the beach, I... I will..."
What will you do? Will you marry me? Chen Rui thought. If it weren't for Chen Zijing, perhaps we could be real lovers... No, if it weren't for Chen Zijing, we might not have even met; even if we did meet, it would just be a client relationship...
"If we can't see the sunset," Li Xue took off the diamond ring from her left hand and placed it in her pocket with a playful grin. "If we can't see the sunset, then I won't marry you."
"This girl..." Chen Rui quickened his pace to catch up with Li Xue as they both raced toward the beach.
The hotel was not far from the beach, and it took the two of them about twenty minutes to run there. Even so, half of the sunset had already dipped below the horizon, leaving the remaining half shining brilliantly. The golden rays of the setting sun intertwined with the slowly drifting clouds, creating a scene that was both magnificent and breathtaking.
"Take a picture for me," Li Xue said, clearly captivated by the view. She ran a few steps ahead, hands clasped behind her back, her face beaming with joy and youthful radiance.
Chen Rui quickly pulled out his phone and snapped a photo of the beautiful scenery, hoping to capture this moment forever.
Seeing that Chen Rui was oblivious to her request, Li Xue walked over to him, linked her arm through his, and swiftly snatched his phone from his hands. Before Chen Rui could react, she pressed the shutter button repeatedly.
"Click click click..." The rapid-fire shots continued for nearly five seconds at fifteen frames per second. Chen Rui could only smile helplessly as he extended his hand toward Li Xue.
Li Xue quickly scrolled through the photos she had just taken, ultimately deciding to keep the first and last ones. After deleting the rest, she transferred these two photos to her phone and only returned it to Chen Rui after receiving a message.
Chen Rui examined the two remaining photos. The first one captured their initial moment; he was looking at the camera with a bewildered expression while Li Xue smiled brightly beside him, her head slightly leaning on his shoulder—she looked incredibly cute.
In the second photo, he wore a wry smile as he looked at Li Xue, who was focused on the camera. Her face held a hint of seriousness alongside her smile, adding a touch of tenderness.
Behind them, the crimson sunset cast its glow over the western hills. The golden sky was dotted with large white clouds that appeared fiery red in the sunset's light.
If it weren't for the identical backgrounds in both photos, it would be hard to believe they were taken at the same time. They didn't seem as intimate as a couple; this wasn't due to a lack of closeness—Li Xue harbored deep feelings for Chen Rui, and he cared for her immensely—but rather they resembled siblings or even father and daughter.
Looking at the photos, Chen Rui chuckled self-deprecatingly, "If anyone sees these pictures, they'll think we're father and daughter. It's all your fault for looking so young."
Li Xue couldn't help but laugh at Chen Rui's comment. A faint blush appeared on her handsome face as she playfully punched him on the arm.
As the sun set and lights began to twinkle, even though it had just dipped below the horizon—the sky still held some brightness—the streetlights and colorful lights along the beach suddenly illuminated. The historic Santa Monica Pier sparkled with lights, and various entertainment facilities were gearing up for peak hours. Couples strolled toward the carousel deep within the pier or headed to Pacific Amusement Park's Ferris Wheel.
Li Xue gazed wide-eyed at the bustling Pacific Amusement Park while Chen Rui smiled lightly. He took her hand and led her toward the pier.
Contrary to Chen Rui's thoughts, Li Xue insisted on riding the roller coaster instead of visiting the romantic Ferris Wheel.
The roller coaster built on the pier could not possibly be as thrilling as today's launch coasters, but it had its own unique romantic charm. The tracks were not too steep, and both sides of the coaster and its cars sparkled with colorful neon lights, creating a beautiful sight.
The amusement park was not large, and the thrilling rides were few. After enjoying the roller coaster, Li Xue's excitement began to wane, and her lips were increasingly pursed, as if a chopstick could easily rest on them.
Seeing Li Xue like this, a sense of helplessness washed over Chen Rui. He glanced at the brightly lit Ferris Wheel and smiled at Li Xue. "Let's go ride that."
A barely noticeable smile appeared at the corner of Li Xue's mouth, like a ripple across the surface of water, swiftly passing over her face before gathering into two sparks in her eyes that quickly vanished into their depths.
Chen Rui was too preoccupied with his worries about Li Xue to notice this change; he only saw her gently nod in agreement. His heart felt as if a heavy stone had dropped, and he smiled as he took hold of Li Xue's wrist, leading her toward the Ferris Wheel.
Even young couples who found the Ferris Wheel cliché would feel tempted to take a ride upon seeing it. This Ferris Wheel was built in 1996 and stood nine feet tall. It was the only solar-powered Ferris Wheel at that time, featuring 160,000 LED lights. At night, it could put on a vibrant light show all by itself. In "Titanic," it was the Ferris Wheel that Jack wanted to take Rose on, making it a must-visit spot for couples.
"Hey! Why are they only getting on the Ferris Wheel now?" a boy in a hoodie asked the girl beside him.
"How would I know? Their feet aren't attached to me!" The girl clearly had a fiery temper; she lightly tapped the boy's back and pouted to the right.
The boy looked to his right and saw a couple directly in his line of sight. He quickly pulled down the hood of his sweatshirt, afraid of being noticed by them.
"Well, there must be more than just us here!" The girl chuckled lightly as she gazed at the Ferris Wheel in the distance. A few sparks suddenly appeared in her eyes before disappearing after a bitter smile.
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